Compartmentized supply container

ABSTRACT

A compartmentized supply container for a plurality of segregated liquids is provided, each compartment having its own pouring spout, and each having its own normally closed means for admitting air as required during pouring. In each instance the air admission line includes a conduit that runs from top to bottom of the container with check valve means at the bottom of the line which prevents admission of liquid to the line at all times but admits air during pouring as required.

United States Patent 91 [111 3,756,470 Bagwell et al. 1 Sept. 4, 1973 I COMPARTMENTIZED SUPPLY 2,738,105 3/l956 Wolfer ZZZ/481.5 x CONTAINER 3,254,789 6/l966 Richmond 220/44 R 158,326 12/1874 Steves et al 222/48L5 [76] Inventors: William A. Bagwell, 926 N.E. D

3 Lonnie Plumlee, Primary ExaminerRobert B. Reeves St, both of Grants Pass, 3- Assistant Examiner-Thomas E. Kocovsky 97526 Attorney-Clarence M. Crews [22] Filed: Mar. 15, 1972 9 [57] ABSTRACT [21 1 Appl 11 A compartmentized supply container for a plurality of segregated liquids is provided, each compartment hav- [52] U.S. Cl. 222/129, 222/48 1 .5 ing its own pouring spout, and each having its own nor- [5] Int. Cl B67d 3/00 mally closed means for admitting air as required during [58] Field of Search 222/129, 188, 478, pouring. In each instance the air admission line in ZZZ/481.5, 485, 481; 220/44 R; l37/525.1 cludes a conduit that runs from top to bottom of the container with check valve means at the bottom of the [56] References Cited line which prevents admission of liquid to the line at all UNITED STATES PATENTS times but admits air during pouring as required. 3,l54,2l9 10/1964 Dean 222/129 5 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures COMPARTMENTIZED SUPPLY CONTAINER This invention relates to compartmentized containers of broad utility. A user of a chain saw, for example, has frequent need for replenishment of oil and fuel, the consumption of oil for lubricating the cutting chain being so great that the oil supply reservoir of the saw is always replenished whenever the fuel supply reservoir of the saw is replenished. With a compartmentized can at hand, the sawyer can carry the saw in one hand and the container in the other when moving from tree to tree.

A more general need for a compartmentized container arises in the case of every motor driven vehicle. The driver should, but seldom does, have a can of gasoline and a can of oil on board to meet emergencies which may arise. There are good excuses for this neglect.

The conventional gasoline can generally has no provision for admitting air during pouring, which means that the delivery of gasoline is greatly retarded, the flow being slowed down by the development ofa partial vacuum within the can, and interrupted from time to time as a gurgling intake of air through the delivery line interrupts the outflow of fuel. Some can have permanent vents with removable sealing caps. These caps can be lost, either through being misplaced or, if attached, by

being torn loose. They also involve some tedium in their application and removal.

Some gasoline cans have filler caps provided with constantly open breather openings. With this kind of arrangement, delivery of gasoline by pouring is unimpedcd, but there is always enough evaporation of gasoline through the breather opening of a vehicle-carried can to maintain an offensive odor in the vehicle.

The conventional oil can is completely sealed and requires the carrying of a cover-puncturing implement, and preferably a puncturing implement of the kind which also provides a pour spout. The punctured can and the used implement of the kind referred to are both messy.

The oil can, the gas can and the oil can puncturing and pouring implement all have to be carried together and they can move about and rattle against one another when the vehicle is in motion. 4

A single container for gas and oil which requires no puncturing, which permits no evaporation, which is clean, and which nvolves neither distinct parts nor appurtenances which can rattle against one another, makes it feasible always to have reserve oil and gas on hand and should encourage the prudent driver to do so.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawing forming part of this specification,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a practical and advantageous, illustrative container which embodies features of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in sectional elevation of the container of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a typical detail view of a valve and valve protective shell.

The illustrative overall container 10 comprises a body member 12 of generally cylindrical form but is rounded in the area where the top merges with the sides. A desirably flat partition member 14 is united continuously along its edges with the body member 12 in a leak-proof manner, as by welding or through the provision of a strong epoxy resin joint.

A generally flat, circular bottom member 16 is formed with a circular marginal channel 18 for the reception of the lower margin of the body and a transverse straight channel 20 for the reception of the lower margin ofthe partition member 14. The united body 12 and partition 14 may be adequately joined to the bottom 16 in a strong and leak-proof manner by first partially filling the channels 18 and 20 with liquid solder or a fast-setting thermosetting plastic material such as a suitable epoxy resin and then setting the body in place. Before the body and partition are brought together, however, it is essential that certain other manufacturing steps must be completed. These will be noted as the description f thestructure proceeds.

It will be noted that the partition 14 divides the container 10 into two unequal compartments, the smaller compartment 22 being designed, illustratively, for the reception of oil and the larger compartment 24 being designed, illustratively, for the reception of gasoline.

The body 12 includes a protruding, threaded filler neck 26, to which a threaded cover 28 is removably applied. The eover 28 is equipped with a pluggable pouring spout 30 in the form of a flexible hose, the hose being composed of a synthetic material, such as neoprene, which is not soluble in gasoline, oil or other hydrocarbons.

The body 12 includes a similar threaded filler neck 32 to which a cover 34, like the cover 28, and equipped with a similar pouring spout 36 may be removably applied.

The body 12 is formed or equipped with inwardly disposed necks 38 and 40. An elbow 42 has one end affixed to the neck 38 in a leak-proof'manner and the other end passed through the partition plate 14 and secured to it in a leak-proof manner. A hose 44, fitted onto an end of the elbow 42 that protrudes into the compartment 22, extends to the bottom of the compartment 22 where it is connected to a fitting 46.

The fitting 46, in turn, is connected to a check valve 48 which includes a length of normally closed, flattened tubing. A perforated sleeve 50, threaded onto the fitting 47, surrounds the valve 48 and prevents it from curling. The sleeve 50 is received in a spring clip 52 which is affixed to the bottom or base 16 of the container, so that the retention of the valve 48 in proximity to the bottom 16 during pouring is assured.

A hose S4 issimilarly connected directly to the neck 40 and runs to the bottom of the compartment 24, being there connected to a second fitting 46 which,like the first, communicates with a check 'valve 48 and is connected to a perforated sleeve 50 that surrounds the check valve. Again, the sleeve 50 is held to the bottom 16 by aspring clip 52. In each instance, the retaining means for the perforated sleeve is located, as shown, substantially as far as possible from the associated pouring spout.

It will be apparent that in each compartment the check valve 48 is normally closed so that no liquid may enter the valve. During pouring from either compartment, however, the space evacuated by the liquid must be replaced by air in order not to impede delivery of the liquid, and since the evacuation of the liquid tends to produce a partial vacuum, replacement air will flow It will be noted that the open necks 38 and 40 are lo cated in proximity to one another. A common conical roof or shelter 56, carried on fixed fingers 58, may

therefore be provided, and it is provided, to shelter the raised mouths of the necks.

The cover has affixed to it widely spaced upstanding cars 60 to which the ends of a bale 62 of handle 64 are pivotally connected.

The container may be made chiefly of any suitable material, such as sheet metal or plastic or partly of sheet metal and partly of plastic.

We have described in detail a presently preferred form of compartmentized container which is of generally cylindrical form. Other configurations are entirely practical. What we desire to cover by letters patent is set forth in the following claims.

We claim:

I. A compartmentized storing and pouring container for a plurality of segregated liquids comprising, in com bination,

a. a container partitioned to provide a plurality of distinct side by side compartments,

h. separate pouring extensions for the respective compartments, comprising in each instance a threaded filling neck and a pouring spout detachably screwed onto the neck and c. permanently installed breather lines for the respective compartments, each ofwhich extends from a lower portion of the compartment through the top of the container, independently of the associated pouring extension, to an air admission opening, and each terminating at its lower end in a check valve which prevents access of liquid to the associated breather line but permits inflow of air when the container is tilted or inverted for pouring.

2. A compartmentized storing and pouring container for a plurality of segregated liquids as set forth in claim 1 in which each pouring extension comprises a removable filler cap and a pluggable discharge tube extending from the cap.

3. A compartmentized storing and pouring container for a plurality of segregated liquids, as set forth in claim 1, in which provision is made of fixed rain-protective means for the open ends of the air admission lines.

4. A compartmentized storing and pouring container for a plurality of segregated liquids as set forth in claim 3 in which the open ends of the air admission lines are located in proximity to one another, and the rainprotective means consists of a single sheltering cover common to the open ends of the air admission lines.

5. A compartmentized storing and pouring container for a plurality of segregated liquids as set forth in claim 1 in hich each check valve referred to consists of a normally flat length of elastic, flexible tubing, each such length of open-ended tubing is surrounded by, and connected to an open rigid shell, and separate, fixed retaining means are provided in the normally bottom ends of the compartments for the respective rigid, valve containing sheels, said anchoring means being located substantially as far as possible from the associated pouring spout. 

1. A compartmentized storing and pouring container for a plurality of segregated liquids comprising, in combination, a. a container partitioned to provide a plurality of distinct side by side compartments, b. separate pouring extensions for the respective compartments, comprising in each instance a threaded filling neck and a pouring spout detachably screwed onto the neck and c. permanently installed breather lines for the respective compartments, each of which extends from a lower portion of the compartment through the top of the container, independently of the associated pouring extension, to an air admission opening, and each terminating at its lower end in a check valve which prevents access of liquid to the associated breather line but permits inflow of air when the container is tilted or inverted for pouring.
 2. A compartmentized storing and pouring container for a plurality of segregated liquids as set forth in claim 1 in which each pouring extension comprises a removable filler cap and a pluggable discharge tube extending from the cap.
 3. A compartmentized storing and pouring container for a plurality of segregated liquids, as set forth in claim 1, in which provision is made of fixed rain-protective means for the open ends of the air admission lines.
 4. A compartmentized storing and pouring container for a plurality of segregated liquids as set forth in claim 3 in which the open ends of the air admission lines are located in proximity to one another, and the rain-protective means consists of a single sheltering cover common to the open ends of the air admission lines.
 5. A compartmentized storing and pouring container for a plurality of segregated liquids as set forth in claim 1 in hich each check valve referred to consists of a normally flat length of elastic, flexible tubing, each such length of open-ended tubing is surrounded by, and connected to an open rigid shell, and separate, fixed retaining means are provided in the normally bottom ends of the compartments for the respective rigid, valve containing sheels, said anchoring means being located substantially as far as possible from the associated pouring spout. 